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No. 753,189( PATBNTBD 513.23, 1904.

wvo. BUGKELEW & J. RFLOURNGY, JR.

CLEANER FOR RIFLES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1903.

v UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1,904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. BUOKELEW AND JAMES P. FLOURNOY, JR., OF SHREVEPORT,

LOUISIANA; SAID FLOURNOY, JR.,

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA.

ASSIGNOR TO MARION N. WOOD, OF

CLEANER FOR RIFLES.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 753,189, dated February 23, 1904. Application ied September 19, 1903. Serial No. 173,881. (N Infidel-l To all whom. it may concern.;

Beit known that we,lVrLL1AM C. BUOKELEW and JAMES P. FLoURNoY, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Shreveport, in the 5 parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cleaners for Rifles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a cleaner for rifles 1o and similar articles, the object of the invention being to provide a simple device of this character which can be inexpensively made and which is effective in use.

The cleaner comprises in its construction a rod having a reduced end provided with a shoulder and a plurality of spring-strips secured at their inner extremities to the inner portion of said reduced end, `the said shoulder bearing against the free portions of the springzo strips to normally force the same outward.

In the form of the device shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a Ypart of this specication, the rod is made in two detachably-connected sections, each of which is provided with spring strips or bristles -arranged as just outlined, one set of said strips or bristles being for scraping and the other for cleaning the interior f a rifle or similar article. The miie-cleaning spring-strips are of approxi- 3o mately circular form in cross-section, while the others are of flat form. The rod mentioned is embraced by two sleeves, which can be slipped onto the respective spring-strips to collapse the same prior to their introduction 3,5 into a rifle, the saidsleeves as the strips are introduced into the rifle being movedbaclrward, whereby the spring-strips can automat' ically spring outward into contact with the inner surface of the barrel of the riie.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the cleaner, showing one set of the spring-strips closed or collapsed by the cooperating sleeve which embraces the same and the other set as open. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central section of one of the sections of the cleaner.

Like characters refer to like parts in both figures.

The cleaner includes in its organization a rod, as 2, which is shown as consisting of two sections, which may be connected by a suitable joint, such as a screw-thread one, whereby the said two sections can be easily separated to facilitate the packing of the cleaner. Each section of the rod 2 is provided with a 55 series of spring-strips, bristles, or lingers, each denoted by 3, the only difference in the two sets being in their shape. As the spring strips or bristles are each mountedk in the same way, a description of one set will suiiice for the 6o other.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the rod 2 has a reduced end 4, which between its ends has an outwardlytapering shoulder or bulge 5, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth. The formation of the reduced end 4 produces an annular shoulder 6, against which the inner ends of the spring strips 3 abut. A wire 8 is wrapped around the inner extremities of the 7o spring strips or bristles 3, so as to press the same at their free portions against the outwardly-tapered shoulder 5, which latter thereby normally forces said free portions outward to their working or effective positions. After the strips have been Wrapped at their inner extremities with the wire 8 the interstices between the coils of the wire and between the strips may be filled with solder, so as to permanently hold the spring-strips in place. The reduced end 4 extends outward beyond the shoulder 5 and somewhat short of the extreme outer ends of the spring-strips 3, whereby said reduced end will serve as an effective support for the spring strips or bristles Swhen the latter are collapsed or contracted. After the spring-strips are permanently secured in place the solder and wirel binding, to which reference has been made, are dressed down so as to bring the saine iush with the periphery of the body or major portion of the rod 2. It will be apparent that the rod has at each end a reduced portion in which spring-strips are set; but the invention is not limited in this respect. Upon the rod 2 are the sleeves 9 of 95 similar construction and of unequal internal diameters, the greater diameter of the respective sleeves being at the outer ends thereof, so as to insure the free and ready movement of either sleeve from the body of the rod onto the spring-strips carried thereby. The sleeves are further provided with circumferential ridges lO, -against which a finger and a thumb may be placed, so as to facilitate the thrusting of the sleeve in question onto the springstrips for the purpose of collapsing the latter prior to the entrance of said spring-strips into the barrel of a rifle. rlhe rod, spring-strips at the opposite ends thereof, and the sleeves carried thereby are preferably made from brass, so that no part of the cleaner can scratch the interior of a rifle or other arm.

In use a sleeve is slid from the body of the rod 2 onto one of the sets of spring-strips 3, so as to collapse or contract the latter and permit their introduction into the barrel of a rifle. As the spring-strips are introduced into the piece the sleeve is slipped back from off the same, or it may rest upon thev top of the barrel as the rod is entered in the rifle. When the sleeve is released from the spring-strips, the latter spring outward into contact with the inner surface of said barrel to either scrape or clean the same as the rod is moved back and forth and simultaneously rotated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. A device of the class described comprising a rod havinga reduced end provided with a shoulder, and a plurality of strips ixedly secured at their inner extremities to the inner portion of said reduced end, the shoulder bearing against the free portions of the springstrips to normally force the same outward.

2. A device of the class described comprising a rod having a reduced end provided with a shoulder, and a plurality of strips iixedly secured at their inner extremities to the inner portion of said reduced end, the shoulder bearing against the free portions of the springstrips to normally force the same outward, said reduced end extending outward beyond its shoulder toward the free ends of said springstrips.

3. A device of the class described comprising a rod having a reduced end provided with a shoulder, and a plurality of strips ixedly secured at their inner extremitiesLV to the inner portion of said reduced end, the shoulder bearing against the free portions of, .the springstrips to normally force the same outward,

combined with a sleeve on said rod slidable from the body thereof onto and around said spring-strips.

4. A device of the class described comprising arod having areduced end, and a plurality of strips bearing at their inner extremities against the inner portion of said reduced end, and a binding of wire encircling said strips at their inner extremities to xedly secure them in place, said reduced end being provided with a shoulder .to bear against the free portions of the spring-strips to normally force the same outward.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM C. BUCKELEW. JAMES P. FLOURNOY, J R.

Witnesses:

R. C. FRIEND, M. N. Woon. 

